1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an association indicator for a connector assembly and a connector assembly provided with an association indicator, comprising a female connector and a male connector which is to be inserted into the female connector for making an electrical connection, and in particular, to an association indicator and a connector assembly with an association indicator in which non-visible association of the inserted male connector with the female connector at the inside of the female connector can be indicated to the naked eye.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A connector assembly is composed of a female connector and a male connector which is to be inserted into the female connector for making an electrical connection. During the insertion operation, the male connector is hidden inside the female connector, and it is therefore impossible to detect whether the male connector has reached the position at which the contact portion of the male connector associates with the corresponding contact portion of the female connector. This often results in damage of the contact portion or other parts due to excessive force loaded onto the connector assembly.
For solving the above problem, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No.(kohkai) 61-4179 discloses an association indicator of a connector assembly, which is also shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 accompanying the present application. In this connector assembly, the male connector A and the female connector B, after insertion of the male connector A, are fastened by a bolt B1 which passes through an axial hollow member C for supporting the axial bolt B1, and the association indicator D is provided at the inside of the axial hollow member C of the female connector B. The association indicator D comprises an indicator rod D1 which is made of synthetic resin and arranged in an axially extended recess D2 so that the indicator rod D1 can move axially in the same direction as the male connector A is moved relative to the female connector B in response to the motion of insertion. The recess D2 is tapered at one end and formed with an indicator window D3. At the same side, the indicator rod D1 is divided into two indication portions D4 with a space D5 therebetween.
According to the above structure, in response to insertion of the male connector A into the female connector B, the indicator rod D1 is pushed against a meeting surface A1 of the male connector A and moved to the tapered surface D6. The indicator portions D4 are then thrusted into the indicator window D3 and bent as shown in FIG. 3, so that the ends of the indicator portions D4 appear in the indicator window D3 only when the male and female connectors associate. As a result, association of the male and female connectors can be signified by appearance of the indicator portions D4 in the indicator window D3. If the male connector A is removed from the female connector B, the indicator portions D4 of the indicator rod D1 are released from the indicator window D3 by elastic force which acts to restore the bent indicator portions D4 to their original states.
However, if the Indicator rod D1 is slightly longer or the insertion distance of the connector assembly is varied due to dimensional variations produced during manufacture of the assembly parts, the indicator portions D4 are often too deeply thrusted into the indicator window D3 so that a state depicted by a broken line D4' occurs. As a result, the indicator portions D4 are caught at the window D3 and they are incapable of being released from the indicator window D3 to return to the original position. Accordingly, when the connector assembly is reassembled, the connector assembly is often found damaged due to an inoperative indicator.